Possibility of the Wall Melting?

[Craving Peaches]

Clearly some sort of magic is needed to sustain the Wall. If, as some people have suggested, the seasons 'go back to normal' at the end of the book, and there is a corresponding decrease in magic, could the Wall melt? We know it starts 'weeping' when it gets warm.

If so, this would lead to bad flooding in the area, no?

Edited October 20, 2023 by Craving Peaches

[Aebram]

TLDR: we have no idea.  :^.

Melisandre told us that the Wall is made with magic, as well as ice; and I think someone else may have said that too, I don't quite recall. But we don't know whether that magic actually maintains the structure of the Wall, or just gives it the ability to stop the Others, and other magical creatures such as dragons, Coldhands, etc.

If the story has a "happily ever after" ending, and the Others are destroyed, then perhaps the Wall will no longer be needed. But if the story ends with the Others being defeated, but not destroyed, and the prospect of another Long Night remains, then the Wall and the Watch will still be needed.

I'm not expert on the George's writing, but"happily ever after" doesn't seem to be his style.

The prospects for flooding probably depend on what the weather is like at that time, since that will affect how quickly it melts.

Edited October 21, 2023 by Aebram

[Lord of Raventree Hall]

13 hours ago, Aebram said:

TLDR: we have no idea.  :^.

Melisandre told us that the Wall is made with magic, as well as ice; and I think someone else may have said that too, I don't quite recall. But we don't know whether that magic actually maintains the structure of the Wall, or just gives it the ability to stop the Others, and other magical creatures such as dragons, Coldhands, etc.

If the story has a "happily ever after" ending, and the Others are destroyed, then perhaps the Wall will no longer be needed. But if the story ends with the Others being defeated, but not destroyed, and the prospect of another Long Night remains, then the Wall and the Watch will still be needed.

I'm not expert on the George's writing, but"happily ever after" doesn't seem to be his style.

The prospects for flooding probably depend on what the weather is like at that time, since that will affect how quickly it melts.

I would say the conclusions in his other books are bittersweet, but overall...positive I guess. Like I came away feeling fairly good after most of his books, although the endings were far from "happily ever after". I'm not sure how ASOIAF will end, but I do trust that I will feed good at the end, but also kind of sad. 

[Darth Sidious]

Magic is not going away. Quite the opposite. It will increase. The Wall is not going to melt, nor will it be breached. One of the Starks, probably Bran, will let the White Walkers pass.  

[Aejohn the Conqueroo]

I believe that the Wall and the distorted seasons are aspects of the wrong state that the world exists in and as such they have to be corrected for the story to end. Alternately, if the story ends and the Wall is still standing and the seasons are still erratic I would suggest that this is a 6000 (maybe 8000, maybe 2000) year cycle that the planet is stuck in and whatever resolution the story has will slowly erode over the next 6000 years and lead us back to where we began. But then, why would the author be telling us about just one of a series of repeating stories? Wouldn't it make sense to tell the story of the first (which we know this isn't) or the last?  

[Sandy Clegg]

On 10/23/2023 at 9:46 PM, Aejohn the Conqueroo said:

But then, why would the author be telling us about just one of a series of repeating stories? Wouldn't it make sense to tell the story of the first (which we know this isn't) or the last?

It makes sense that world-shaking events occur by the end of the series, sure. I think the cyclical angle could still feature, though, maybe on a more cosmic scale perhaps. George likes his big sci-fi ideas.